The anticipation builds!

When Lou Engle came into school to talk about Azusa Now towards the beginning of school I felt goosebumps, this was something so exciting and I was blessed to be alive, to be at BSSM for just such a time as this. Since then my excitement and anticipation has continued to rise and now our trip to LA is only a couple of weeks away!

So what is Azusa Now?

There are times which Scripture describes as "full" — periods of unusual ripeness in which God unleashes His prophetic purpose across the earth.  Such days of faith and expectation often come during periods of crisis or widespread uncertainty. For 15 years, amidst massive cultural decay, Lou Engle and TheCall have sought to proclaim the bold, uncompromising message of consecration to Jesus. Like John the Baptist, we have cried out, "Prepare the way of the Lord!"

Yet the last statement of John was not "Prepare the way," but "Behold the Lamb!" If there was truly a John Movement, then a Jesus Movement is surely coming! Believing that decades of globe-spanning prayer have saturated the heavens, we will boldly ask God for the rain of revival on April 9th, 2016. We will consecrate an entire day — 15 hours — for the purpose of unity, miracles, healing, and the proclamation of the gospel. Our rally cry: Come, Holy Spirit! Instead of 120 in the Upper Room, we seek to gather as many as 120,000 in one place and one accord to simply exalt Jesus. And for inspiration, we turn to the most powerful expression of revival in modern times: the historic Azusa Street Revival of 1906. (From http://www.thecall.com/azusa)

So on April 4^th around 2000 BSSM students head down to LA for 5 days of street ministry before the big event itself on the 9^th. On the 9^th there will also be around 1000 of the local Bethel Church family joining us for the event. The event is also being supported by lots of local LA churches, YWAM, Christ for the Nations and other great organisations. It is going to be an amazing event.

Over recent weeks God has been speaking to me about Azusa Now being the beginning of something we have never seen, that is, worldwide revival. It excites me that about 6 weeks after Azusa Now students from all around America and the world will have graduated and be heading home and they will all be carrying the seeds of what they saw and were part of at Azusa. They will be carrying testimony home to add to the beautiful expressions of revival that God is doing throughout the earth, not because what they have is better but because it will enhance what God is already doing. How exciting is that! I truly am so blessed to be able to be a part of this and feel so privileged that God called me for such a time as this. We really do live in the most exciting of times.

So my Revival Group and 5 others (about 400 people or thereabouts) are in the South West area of LA and this has the Coliseum in, LAX (the airport), Venice Beach, 4 Universities and lots, lots more. It is a very diverse area with lots of cultures across ethnicities and social class and there are lots of different things planned for the 4 days before Azusa Now for us to impact the area and the people who live there.

There are 4 other areas that the other revival groups will be impacting before we all come together to be the ministry team for the event itself and they are expecting at least 80,000 people to attend. It's mad, I cannot imagine what 80,000 people looks like, never mind if the event is full and there are 120,000 people. I just know that it is going to be an amazing day and am truly looking forward to worshipping God there and seeing what he wants to do.

Other reasons I am excited are:

Recently, when I was fundraising for the trip, one of my leaders sent me a message that encouraged me even more than I already was. Those who know me know that I am excitable! Talking about Azusa and thinking about it, even writing this blog gives me goosebumps, I just know we are going to see God come and move in powerful ways. He wants to show LA that he is real and that he loves them and we get to partner with that, how awesome! However, the thing that got me more excited was that this leader had been in LA with his wife about 3 years ago and God had told them to go to Azusa Street and get on their knees and pray, 'God do it again, revival breakout!'. This they did. Then this year they have met another couple who God had do the exact same thing last year. Love it, God has been preparing the way for this for a long, long time and I know that no matter how excited I am, he is more!

One of the biggest things that gets me excited about Azusa Now is that it is all about unity. The church coming together, the nations coming together, believers coming together to say that God is Sovereign and to invite him to have his way. It is so beautiful! All we need to do is go, listen to his voice, see what he is doing and join in with him and we will see him do extraordinary things through us, his people.

How amazing is it that BSSM decided to cancel all their ministry trips (they normally do over 70 trips to over 40 nations and many, many wonderful testimonies are brought back) and send all their students to Azusa Now. That means that all those testimonies that are usually a part of the trips around the world are all going to focussed around the LA area, one city in one country. With all my heart, I do not believe that this can happen and LA remain the same, even if the seeds are not easy to see at first, they will grow and LA will never be the same again after the 9^th April and the few days before.

In case you have not noticed yet, I'm a little excited about this trip! I would love for you to partner with us in prayer to invite God to come and invade and do what he wants to do. For him to prepare hearts for what he has in store for them and to make us bold witnesses for him. As we get closer to the event I hope to be able to tell you more of the detail of what we will be doing for more specific prayer. But for now, thanks for reading and I truly appreciate your prayers!

Be blessed.

Stuff and more stuff with a little bit of honour!

So it's been a while since my last blog and I have been busy, including being on a ministry trip with Bill Johnson to Pennsylvania which was a real privilege to be part of. As well as that I have had school, a visit from a friend from New Zealand, the Prophetic Conference and much, much more. I love my life though!

God has challenged me though to see my time alone as important and precious, just like I see my time with everyone else. I put time in my diary for me but then someone wants to meet or there is an opportunity to do something and my time goes out the window. So, as I write this blog, I am having a day of silence! For those of you who know me, you know this is a challenge! Thankfully, what Papa calls us to he gives us the grace for and so far so good!

This time is about me recognising how important my time is and how much I appreciate having some alone time. I love people and am very intentional in relationship but I do this best when I am intentional with me too! Papa knows this and knows it is difficult to meet with others when you are silent so for today and the next 3 Fridays I will be in silence, just me and God. Blessed indeed!

The ministry trip with Bill was such a blessing though it was a whirlwind trip. We left on Wednesday morning to land in New Jersey late Wednesday night (as it is the east coast there is a 3 hour time difference). We then travelled to our hotel which was also in New Jersey but we ministered for 2 days in Washington Crossing (famous for Washington's crossing of the Delaware in 1776 which was a turning point in the American Revolutionary War) in a beautiful United Methodist Church. We got to spend a few hours in Princeton (the most English looking town here that I have seen, though a real mix of building materials and styles!) before flying home on the Saturday. Busy but such fun.

I prayed for a beautiful older lady who had scoliosis and problems with her lower back. After I had prayed she said that she had felt her spine move and her leg grow. I had not even prayed about her leg! The next morning she came and found me to tell me that she had slept the night before for the first time in many years. Thank you Jesus!

The second day I got to pray for a man who had no sense of smell and he saw no change. However, about 10 minutes later he came back to find me very excited, as he had been going to leave he had realised that the was smelling things. How awesome is our God! Thank you Jesus!

The team I went with were amazing and we had a great time together praying and prophesying and because I am Papa's favourite, we even got some snow! I truly did feel so blessed.

Since my last post I have been thinking with Papa about what it means to honour the men and women in my life and facing up to some of the ways that I have dishonoured them in the past. I have realised that by choosing to dishonour them I have bought into society's view instead of God's view. No more! Now I choose to honour my brothers and sisters as the sons and daughters of God that they are and to see them as God sees them, as his treasure.

My question then, is how do we honour one another as God intended? I don't think I have the answer to this one yet but I have a few ideas and the ones I have challenge my old thinking dramatically! One of the things Papa has said to me is that to honour the men around me I need to honour how he created them and the attribute he chose to demonstrate this with was that they are protectors! This rattled me to begin with as I like to think that I can protect myself, I have worked with some very difficult and violent people in the past and have always been alright.

As Papa began to explain to me though I began to realise that I was not only dishonouring men but also myself when I did not recognise this quality in them. Very humbling! He said that when I allow a man to protect me (whether it be a need for actual protection or him doing something that cares for my wellbeing) then I am allowing him to say that I am worth being protected, I am allowing him to honour the identity as a woman that God has given me. It is not about whether I am capable of protecting myself or not but about the honour I deserve as a daughter of the King. Wow! On the same note, when I allow a man to protect me I am honouring the God given identity he carries as a protector. I love it!

Together, as men and women, we reflect the glory of God and we need to learn how to honestly and fearlessly honour one another in the identities that we have been given. We are good gifts to each other if we choose to be and can encourage and support one another through any trial or circumstance. This is just the beginning of the journey for me but I am committed to travelling this road and learning to honour the men and the women in my life as God intended. Here's looking to the next lesson!

The honour journey is all linked in with my heart to see the end of the sex industry and specifically, at present, to see sex tourism become something that is not considered an okay holiday vacation but more on this as God brings me more clarity on my next steps. For now, I just want to keep the conversation going anyway I can, so if you have thoughts on how we can honour men and women well or on why we should or even why you think it matters, then I would love to hear from you, Please comment below.

Until the next time when I hope to talk a little about our upcoming trip to Azusa Now in LA, so exciting! I am now fully paid up and ready to go, so a big thank you to everyone who has contributed to this. It truly is going to be a life changing event for many.

I hope you enjoyed reading, bless you all.

Let's increase the conversation!

So it was the final day of Social Justice week at school today and we had the privilege of hearing Benjamin Nolot speak. If you have never heard of him then check out Exodus Cry on the internet and watch his film, Nefarious but be prepared to never be able to look at the sex industry the same again. Still encouraging you to watch but just warning you, it is revealing and hard hitting!

Being in the social justice track I got to hear Benjamin a few weeks ago when he skyped in to talk to us and I truly believe that he has uncovered the underlying heart issue that is behind the entire sex industry. It is the way men and women are taught through society and the media to view one another and it is definitely not God's way.

So here I want to start another conversation, I'm not moving away from my stance that I want to see sex tourism abolished but I want to start a conversation about the root causes that enables our society to think it is okay. So here goes!

Someone told me the other day that as they were growing up her mum used to take her out when she went with her friends. This sounds lovely but what her mum and her friends used to do was moan and complain about their husbands. In her words she was told, 'All men are dogs!' and 'Don't get married!' What a way to grow up, believing that all men are dogs and that you are better off not being married.

Sadly, I do not think this is an isolated case and added to anything parents may choose to share with their children is the inundation of identity stereotypes that society throws at you, especially film and music.

I just want to give two examples to get this conversation started and to see what you all think about this out there.

I just want to get us talking and thinking about the issues and not just allowing ignorance or apathy to overtake us.

Please comment below.

Please talk to your colleagues, your friends, your community.

Let's be the generation that stands up and says not on our watch, we will choose to honour and not demonise the opposite sex.

Please choose to honour the women and men in your life for who they really are and not what society says they are.

Let's stand up and be counted and model the transformation we want to see!

So, here's my examples, or Benjamin's to be precise but they are good and I'm sure he will not mind me using them!

The first is Rihanna, now I don't know a lot about Rihanna but it appears like thinks have changed a little since I last watched a music video. Before I wrote this post I thought I would have a look at her music videos and found some on VEVO but it wouldn't let me watch them without signing in. Why? They wanted to know that I was old enough to watch an explicit video! This to me is crazy, why does a music video have to be so explicit that you need to be 18 to watch it?

Sadly, I think we have a culture where sex sells and women have been told that they can take control by controlling their bodies and using them to make money. I think this is the ploy of men who want to see those women do things that they would not do otherwise, but I may be wrong!

I agree with Benjamin who says Hugh Heffner showed the world this okay when he had a harem of women who thought they were liberated as Bunny Girls and people celebrated it. Now that has become topless bars and drive through coffee shops where girls are serving in their underwear. This isn't liberated women choosing a career, this is women getting a job where they can because they have bills to pay, who in their right mind would stand at a cold drive through window in their underwear unless they were desperate for the job?

It breaks my heart that we have sold a lie to men and women then causes them to think that this is okay for them to see and be seen. This is what underlies sex trafficking. This is what underlies it being okay for sex tourism to be a part of our world.

Another example Benjamin gave that truly shocked me was of James Bond. Now, I was not shocked that James Bond was a womaniser, he was that throughout my youth growing up and seeing the movies. No, what shocked me was what had happened in the latest movie, Skyfall, which I have not seen. In this (so I have been reliably informed and so will not be watching it) Bond uses a sex trafficking victim to get to her boss but they both get caught. Bond, instead of rescuing her plays a game with her boss where they try to shoot a glass of good Scotch off her head. Bond misses but the boss just shoots her in the head and all Bond can say is, 'What a waste of good Scotch.'

How can it be okay for a multi million pound film to suggest that a glass of Scotch is worth more than the life of a trafficking victim? It truly does appear like the culture we live in is one where media says that women exist for the sexual pleasure of men, as people to be conquered and not loved. How did we let this happen and what can we do about it?

Lastly, I believe we are all made in the image of God and that is the identity that we have but even without that belief, the first 5 articles of the Declaration of Human Rights are:

Article I All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Article 2 Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.

Article 3 Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Article 4 No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.

Article 5 No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

This is enough reason to want to change the current status quo in the world, so my answer is to start the conversation!

My answer is to honour the men and women in my life and to speak true identity into them and not to allow society's thinking to infect mine. It may not be much but I have drawn a line in the sand and I will not stay silent any more!

Please comment below.

Please share this blog.

Please start your own conversations about the things you are passionate about, let us not stay silent anymore.

Thank you for reading, I look forward to reading your comments and seeing how this conversation grows.

Let's start a conversation............

As I begin to write this post we are in the middle of Social Justice week at school and today Papa has met me in a powerful way and broken my heart a little more while at the same time equipping me for the call he has placed on my life. I will tell you a little more of that later but first I need to tell you about the journey Papa has had me on in my heart in relation to justice.

Since the first day I was saved I have always had a heart for justice, a heart to see those who society would rather forget or overlook be raised up and given their God given identity. For 16 years I worked with the homeless, addicts, offenders and women caught in prostitution because I knew there was hope for them, I knew there was a better way. I knew this because I had been caught up in all of that and I had met the better way, I had met Jesus!

All of the jobs I had were part of God's training for me, not only did I get to touch people with his love but I also learnt so much and worked with some amazing people along the way. I loved all my jobs and the people I got to work with, both those I got to serve and those I got to work alongside. I always knew that Papa had more for me, that there would come a day when I would be seeing more of his kingdom come in all that I did but I had no idea what that looked like or how it would come.

Then I lost my job and my husband died and I started on the journey to where I am now as a 2^nd year BSSM student. If you had told me 3 years ago that this is where I would be now I would have laughed very loud and thought you were slightly nuts, even if you were prophetic! I am forever grateful though for the journey Papa has had me on since I have arrived here at BSSM in relation to justice and my heart for it and here's a taster of it.

During first year I did a course called IDignify that was all about supporting girls who had been rescued from trafficking and setting up homes for them. As the course progressed Papa began to challenge my heart about his lost sons and daughters. Now you would think, this being a class about trafficked girls that this is where he would challenge me, but no, he began to challenge me about what was happening to his sons and daughters who were perpetrating the trafficking, that is, the traffickers, pimps and johns. As the weeks went on I was more and more convicted that we needed to reach out to them and show them that they were created for greater things and that there was hope for them.

This led to me being face down on my floor one morning and having a revelation of Jesus hanging on the cross and saying, 'It is finished' and asking me if I thought it was finished for the traffickers too and that what he had done was enough for them? I was undone and began to cry and call out to him for his lost sons and daughters who are buying and selling his children. As I did this, my heart broke, all I could say was, 'Here I am God, send me.' As I gave Papa my yes he told me I would see the end of sex slavery in my lifetime. Wow! What a privilege, to be part of the army that he has raised up and is raising up to see the end of trafficking within my lifetime.

Since this time there have been many more times when Papa has had me on my knees crying out for those that society would rather overlook or ignore and often times, the church would rather ignore too. My heart has been broken in a new way, for the oppressors, for those who commit atrocities towards their fellow human beings. It's not that my heart does not break for their victims but Papa said that he had lots of people willing to go for them, but not so many willing to go for the oppressors and they need setting free too. For this reason I pursue the heart of my Papa to know what steps he wants me to take to see his children come home, to see Jesus receive his full reward and the schemes of the enemy destroyed.

So to 2^nd year at BSSM, I chose to do the Social Justice track because Papa told me that the man who led it would be influential for me. The track was split into three semesters and each one had a theme, with the second one being sex trafficking. At the start of the year we were asked to pick which theme we would like to present on and without hesitation I chose trafficking. Throughout the track we have got to listen to amazing people who are on the ground affecting change all over the world in different ways. It has been encouraging, heartbreaking and challenging! This last Monday my group and I presented our findings and solutions in relation to trafficking and as I researched for my part in this Papa began to stretch me some more.

I, for fairly obvious reasons, wanted to look at demand and to focus on solutions for the perpetrators, that is, all the people who buy other people for sex, from the traffickers from the person on the street buying sex for themselves. As I researched the issue in the UK and possible solutions something struck me that has not really struck me before.

If we are to see the end of sex trafficking then we need to get societies views on sex tourism changed.

How can it be okay for western culture to have numerous tour operators out of creating vacation packages for people to go and have sex with people in much poorer countries?

How can it be okay for 1000s and 1000s of people every year to leave the UK to go and have sex with people (including children) in a poorer nation?

When you consider that a very high proportion of the people in the destination countries are trafficked then it becomes painfully obvious that sex tourism supports and encourages human trafficking.

How can we, as so called civilised people, be willing to turn a blind eye to this? As if, if we don't see it or think about it, it does not exist. I for one am not willing or able to do that anymore and so said to Papa again yesterday, 'Here I am, send me, just show me what I need to do.'

This is where I was when I went to school this morning. I had spent some time dreaming with Papa and asking him how do I start making in a difference in relation to sex tourism, having had some ideas I just asked him to show me how. Thankfully, Papa never disappoints!

As I said at the beginning this week at school is Social Justice week and we have had some wonderful speakers who are truly seeing change happen around the world and today was no exception. Today we had Lyle Phillips from Mercy 29, if you have never heard of him then check him out. He has seen over 400 children be freed from slavery in India over the past few years.

As he was talking I was weeping, no surprise for me there, it is almost a daily prayer of mine that Papa would break my heart for what breaks his and what Lyle was sharing most definitely breaks Papa's heart. After Lyle had finished talking he invited us to go forward if Papa was touching us, I was on my knees giving God my yes again and did not take asking twice! I was kneeling with my face on the floor, tears rolling down my face with Papa telling me I was commissioned to fight his fight, to see the end of not only sex slavery but the sex industry and that it started now with my fight against sex tourism. Wow! I was undone! All I could say was 'Yes, yes, yes!' and 'Break my heart more Papa, let me see just like you see, love like you love.'

As worship began in the room I felt a roar rising up inside of me. Now, I am happy to roar when it is a corporate thing but not so much when it is just me! However, I felt this roar and I knew that this roar had to come out and it did, three times. I don't think I have ever roared so loud and to be honest, I did not care if anyone was watching or who could hear me, Papa was releasing the lioness from within me. He was releasing the strength and the courage that he had placed in me to go anywhere, to face anything knowing that I had nothing to be afraid of. I suddenly knew that I could face death and not be afraid, I will gladly give my life to pursue what Papa has placed on my heart, to see his lost sons and daughters come home.

Please hear me right here! I want to live to a ripe old age of at least 100 but nothing can stop me now from pursuing the things that Papa has placed on my heart because I am his lioness, his warrior queen, his favourite daughter and together we will see the end of the sex industry. Hallelujah! This is on my Papa's heart and I just get to partner with him.

So this post was step one that Papa gave me to do, to start a conversation. I want to hear your thoughts and ideas and here's a couple of questions to get you started. Please comment below or email me at michellearthur68@gmail.com

What do you think about sex tourism?

Why is it okay for companies to exist purely to sell sex holidays to countries where a high percentage of the women sold for sex are trafficked?

How do we change things?

I have another couple of steps Papa has given me and the first is to do some research about the issue and then I hope to post again. Please, in the meantime though, let me know your views and let me know what gets you passionate, what do you want to see changed in our society?

Whatever happens, let us not be afraid to start a conversation about............................ (fill in the blank that makes you passionate!)

Thanks for reading.

Here's to 2016 being the best year yet!

As I start 2016 and prepare to go back to school tomorrow there are so many things for which I am thankful for in 2015, it was a good year but I look forward to 2016 being an even better year yet. Why? Because God is good and he promises to work all things to good for me because I love him and my history with him shows this scripture to be true. He has worked all things to good for me, though I have walked through some tough times over the years he has always been faithful, always been there and in the end, things always turn out better than I could have imagined. I still face a couple of tough situations as I start this year but I know that because they are not good, they are not over and so I stand in faith trusting that, in his perfect timing, my heavenly Father will work them to my good too. It is just a matter of time!

So, what were my highlights of 2015? It's hard to limit it to just a few but for your sake I will limit it to my top three!

I loved school and was so grateful to be nominated for the M. Earl Johnson Award as I graduated first year. God showed me through this the impact I have on people just by being me, by the encouragement and the love that I give and this was so important for me to recognise and know. It was such a privilege and very humbling to have my classmates and peers choose me to be nominated. I was blown away by the favour they showed me. Added to the graduation was the knighting ceremony and it's hard to put into words what that meant to me. As I knelt waiting for Bill Johnson and Kris Vallotten to lay their swords on my shoulders I knew that Papa was pleased with me, he was proud of me. Then as I looked up at Bill and Kris as they placed the swords on my shoulders I felt their pleasure and through them was overwhelmed with the love and pride of Papa. Something changed in me that day, though I'm not sure I can tell you what, I just know it wasn't just a highlight of 2015 but of my life!

My summer was amazing, I traveled many, many miles around England catching up with friends and family and having a thoroughly wonderful time. The greatest part of it though was how God opened my heart to love my country in a new way. How he opened my heart even more to want to see my country fulfil it's God given destiny, to fulfill it's God given purposes. As I traveled up and down I marvelled at the beauty that was all around me, both in the landscape and the people I met. I always knew that I was called to be a missionary in the UK but now I am all in, there is no where else that I would rather be and I am eager to get home in May and see what God will do.

My last highlight was walking with God through the process of recognising that I am authentic, that who I say I am is who I actually am and that all the masks are finally removed. I cannot describe just how amazing this is to me, it is like I was born again again this year! I am so thankful for God's timing and for him giving me this awesome gift this year. Now I know that being his daughter is enough because that is everything. I do not need to do anything but pursue his face and minister to his heart, that is my job from now until forever and I will give my everything to fulfil my job description well! It does not matter what roles I have or what giftings I have, it just matters that I am his daughter and I am authentic. Wow! Love it!

Before I talk about what I am looking forward to it 2016 I just want to share a little bit about Christmas. I was a little concerned as to how I would find it as I have never been away from home and family for Christmas in my life and both my housemates were not going to be around. I need not have worried because Papa had an amazing Christmas in store for me, a season of firsts that brought such joy, including making my first gingerbread house! It was wonderful and I got to spend it with lots of amazing people who I love lots and though I missed my family, I definitely did not miss out. Papa is so good and he knew just what I needed to make this Christmas special and one to remember!

Now, to 2016, what am I looking forward to?

The biggest thing I am looking forward to is the glorious continuation of the transformation journey that Papa has me on. This was one of the words I got before I left Leicester in August and it has proved so true and I know will continue to as I walk through this year. I love all that God has done in me, the internal and the external changes and I am so excited and expectant to see what is next. I know that I am different now to when I came out to 2^nd year in August and that I will be different from who I am now when I graduate in May and head home to Leicester. I love this journey of exploration that I am on with Papa, to pursue his face and minister to his heart, to allow him access to all of me to make me fully who I was created to be. I want nothing less than to be a laid down lover of Jesus, fully surrendered, fully yielded and walking in the fullness of who I was created to be! So thankful that scripture says that he will complete the work he started in me because it makes my dream not just possible but guaranteed. How awesome!

I'm also looking forward to writing more, both this blog and also the book that God has been speaking to me about. One of my goals is to put time aside every week to write and stick to it. Up until now I have written when I felt like it but it has become apparent that very little gets written if that's how you organise it, you only need to see that my last blog was in November! So watch this space for more blog posts but also for updates on how I am doing in my larger writing project.

Lastly, I am very excited that a very good friend of mine arrives in just under 2 weeks for a visit. So blessed that she is able to visit and that she has chosen to. It's a big thing, not only because of the cost but she is leaving her 3 small children (including my youngest God daughter) at home with their dad so that she can. He's sacrificing a lot for me too! It is an amazing gift to me that she would do that to see me, very humbling. We are going to have a wonderful time though and God is going to bless our time together more than we can possibly imagine. We are blessed indeed! Maybe my next post will be an update on our time together, who knows?

I hope you have been encouraged as you have read. I declare that as I continue on my journey this year to becoming fully me that you would continue your journey, wherever you are at, to becoming fully you. You are the son or daughter of Almighty God and he has already done everything that was needed to enable you to begin, continue and end the journey well, you just need to say, yes!   

47 years to authenticity...

Wow! I am blown away by the goodness of God and undone by his kindness! I love that he knows what we need and the perfect time to bring it even when we have no clue that we need it. Over recent weeks we have had to do some homework on leadership development and Papa has truly rocked me to the core through the process. I hope you are encouraged as you read on to realise God can uncover the lies we are believing using anything!

For our first leadership development report, amongst other things, we had to do a DISC test. This is a personality test and they have us websites where we could do it for free or we could pay for it. I did the free text and discovered I am very high I (influence) and high D and S (dominance and steadiness) and very little C (compliance). When I had done the first test I found two or three other sites where I could do the test for free too and did them all. They all have me the same results. After all of this I decided I wanted to pay to do the official test and again I got the same results, just with a little more information!

Once all of the tests are done Good asked me if I knew why I had done all the tests? Why I had not been happy doing just one test? I think that I knew the answer but I didn't want to admit it but I also knew he would tell me anyway! He told me that I kept don't more tests because I was expecting to get different answers because I still believed that I was different depending on who I was with and that I behaved differently with everyone. 

He then pointed out that my internal and external results (that is the real me and the me I show the world) were almost identical and this meant that who I am and who I show the world is the same person. He then reminded me of the first prophetic word I was ever given 19 years ago. The word was that it was time for the makes to come off, there was lots of them and it would take a long time but they would all come off. They are all gone he said to me, that is why your results are almost identical because you are so you say you are. Wow!

This was amazing revelation and I so wanted it to be true! However, I was not convinced and as I was writing about who I was and what I was passionate about for my report I had this nagging doubt that I was just writing what I wanted people to believe about me. I was a fake! Once I had written the report I had to get feedback from a couple of people before writing a final paragraph, I asked Lizzie and Amy, my housemates, as they know me best here in Redding.

The morning after I had given them my report Lizzie told me that as she read my report she thought I really know this woman, this is Michelle honestly and openly. This is authentic. Amy added that she agreed with what Lizzie said and that what I shared was accurate and truly who I am and who I strive to be. She agreed with my DISC test in who I am. She said she really felt my heart when she read what I am passionate about and that from what she sees in my daily life she agrees!

Wow! I cried! I was blown away! I had to go to Papa and ask what this meant and he showed me that I had still been believing that I was manipulative as I was many years ago and that I believed that I was a fraud it my personality. Well, we soon nailed that lie to the cross and declared the truth, I am authentic! It may have taken 47 years for me to be able to see what was plain to others but now I not only see it but I know it to be true! Hallelujah!

As I close this post I just want to encourage you, wherever you are at and whatever season you are in to trust God and to trust the process he has you in. He truly knows what he is doing and only has your best interests at heart, he is working to make you the best you you can be and I believe with all my heart, you will get there.

Here's the last paragraph I added to finish my report and remember it took me 47 years to get here!

I am genuine! I am authentic! I am real! This report has been a journey that has shown me that I am truly who Papa says I am and who I have hoped I really am and shown me that there were lies that said otherwise that I was believing. Blown away by his kindness to me in showing me that I am not a fraud in what I offer to the world, another lie that I have nailed to the cross and broken agreement with! So who am I? I am loving, I am generous, I am compassionate, I am a laid down lover of God, I am his daughter, I am a trophy of grace, I am enthusiastic and passionate, I am an encourager, I am a mum, I am me! Thank you Papa!

I bless you to know the truth of who you are in his eyes and your own. You are amazing! You are his child! You are loved! Thank you for reading.

Out of my comfort zone but right in the centre of Papa's heart

It's been a while since my last blog but I hope to get two or in quick succession. I pay they are both fun to read and encouraging!

I want to write about my recent ministry trip to Isla Vista and what God did there, it was amazing and he had definitely opened my eyes as a result of the trip. For those of you who don't know, which is probably most of you, Isla Vista is just north of Santa Barbara on Southern California. It is basically a college town with 20,000 students and we went down to partner with Jesus Burgers for Halloween.

So, Jesus Burgers are this bunch of radical believers who week after week love the students of Isla Vista and part of the way they do that is by giving out free burgers. It truly was a privilege to partner with these guys but more of that later.

Now, a typical Michelle Halloween would involve curling up in bed early with a good book so that I don't have to answer the door to trick or treaters or So this trip was a little out of my comfort zone to say the least. I'm fine with loving people on the street but make those people lots of students in fancy dress, celebrating Halloween and it makes me feel a tad nervous!

On the Friday night before we went out we had a great time of worship and then we got together in mixed teams (there were a couple of teams from Orange County there to help too and lots from the local church). It was a great night and I was challenged a lot but everyone was so open and so friendly, well, except for the scary looking guys we approached because they looked intimidating! I guess that's what you get for going out with the trip leader. As a group by the time I went to bed we had prophesied over a number of people, stepped out in several words of knowledge (including some that were right!) and got to pray for lots of students. A good night all in all.

The next morning a friend and I went for a walk to the beach and to get coffee because most people were still sleeping. At the beach I got very wet as the tide was coming in but I also got to prophesy over a beautiful young student about her heart for justice and her destiny. It was such fun. Then we headed off for coffee, on the way we saw a lady collecting recycling and I said good morning. It was clear that she was profoundly deaf but her speech was understandable with a little concentration. She shared that she would be collecting recycling until about 5 pm and was a very cheerful lady. My friend asked if she could pray for her hearing and she said yes, so after covering her ears with her hands and praying she took her hands of and clicked by her deaf ear. Wow! You could see the surprise on the beautiful lady's face as she said, 'I can hear!' We prayed again and again the look of joy and surprise was on her face as she could hear. She asked if we were magic and we explained that it was Jesus and that he loved her so much, with this we left. How exciting, we had just gone out for us, to walk to the sea and get coffee but God had planned to use us to bless those we saw. This was one of my favourite moments of the whole trip.

That afternoon we did treasure hunts and the team I was with spent ages chatting with a lovely homeless man as he shared about his war room, that is, his prayer room. We were blown away with the privilege of encouraging him and being encouraged by him and as we walked away we realised he had been one of our treasures!

That night we went out for Halloween and I felt so much more bold than the night before, it was great! I stepped out with words of knowledge, lots were wrong but praise Jesus that some were right! I love that as we step out and take risk we realise that it does not matter if we get it wrong, we don't die and the ground does not open up and swallow us up and generally right or wrong the word opens up a conversation and we get to show the love of God anyway. Awesome!

The next day (Sunday) we had church on the beach and two of our team were baptised. Such a beautiful time and just a real privilege to be there. In the afternoon we then led the Isla Vista church service before prophesying over some of their leadership in the evening. What an honour to speak into the lives of these amazing people who have laid down their lives to love the students of Isla Vista. They are truly a great bunch of people and I loved getting to encourage them in this way.

On Monday we went to Santa Barbara for the day as we had free time. We had a great day even though the heavens opened and the rain came down. It was such fun spending time laughing and relaxing with the team.

That evening we got to do 15 minutes of prophesy over anybody from the church or community who wanted to be ministered to in this way. I was with two other students and we prophesied over a few people and then 2 brothers came to us. One brother explained that he had brought his brother and it felt quite obvious that the other brother had absolutely no belief whatsoever, in fact, it felt like he was there just to disprove God! We explained what prophecy was and then I went for a word of knowledge, it was wrong. Another team member then went for a word of knowledge, it was wrong too. Not a good start! The third member of our team started talking about how it was okay to question God, to doubt God and then things began to flow. We shared how he was a dreamer and had crazy dreams but this was because he was a Joseph (we had to explain who Joseph was as he did not know) and you could see this impacting him. Then God said to tell him that he had already given Good an ultimatum and said, 'if you are real God then......' and that God was going to answer this. Again you could see the reality of this in his face. The guy on our team then started talking to him about how he had been hurt as a young boy and God was sorry for this and the tears started, they started with the young man we were prophesying over, then his brother started crying and then one by one our team cried too. God had me ask forgiveness of this young man as a mum for not protecting him and for not speaking truth and hope into his life, it felt so powerful and that's when the tears began to fall for me as I knelt before him. After a while God had us speak hope into his life about music and that he would have the favour of Joseph on his life and we finally ended prophesying over him after 45 minutes. As this young man left he said that he was overwhelmed as he had not expected what he had received, he had expected nothing and he had never had people cry for him before. It was so humbling to be used this way and this was truly one of the most amazing encounters I have ever had the privilege of being part of and was definitely the highlight of my trip. My team and I just hugged, cried and praised Jesus for a while after this as we were pretty overwhelmed too.

Our last day was a day off blessing the Lomelino's, the amazing family who oversee the Isla Vista church and Jesus Burgers. It was great to be able to serve them and give to a family who have truly laid down their lives for the kingdom. If you would like to know more about the church and Jesus Burgers then check out this website http://islavistachurch.org/upper-room-and-jesus-burgers/ and get hold of the two books Jason Lomelino has written that are full of amazing testimonies of God showing up as they simply give away burgers with love every week.

I hope you have been blessed and encouraged reading this. I know I will never be the same again after this trip as I have truly seen lives laid down for the kingdom in love and humility and the impact that has. I have seen how easy it is to partner with God and see the miraculous as we walk out every day things and I have seen how when we let Holy Spirit lead he knows exactly how to meet someone right where they are at and impact them the most. I have seen how even when we get things wrong Papa loves us because we stepped out and turns things to good because it does not depend on us but on him who lives inside us and he is always faithful! I encourage you to step out and take a risk this week and see what he will do!

Last thing, there was lots and lots of police out on the streets of Isla Vista on Halloween and it felt over the top until you knew that two years ago someone was killed at Halloween there. This year there were pictures in the paper after Halloween of the police playing Frisbee with party goers in the street. How amazing what a difference a group of laid down lovers of Jesus can make when they choose to love their community!